There's another very good caster who uses a slight modification of Lefty's casting method, and that's Jaworski, who Lefty has said is the best fly casting instructor out there today.

The Southeast council of the FFF will be having Mr. Jaworski as one of the headliners at their June 2-4 Fly Fishing Festival.
It will be held at Unicoi State Park in Georgia.
The website is being updated and will be up and running shortly.
Consider attending. There are many seminars and classes available to help you hone your fly fishing skills.
I link when the site is up.

I just read Kathy Beck's PA Blue Ribbon Fly Fishing book. Charles Ritz had a smaller build, but he used what was described by observers as an efficient and compact casting stroke. I don't know that I'm interested in casting 80+ feet (or even 60+ feet), but it would be interesting to watch someone else perform. My right shoulder has to be babied due to an injury that happened in 2002, so I don't even try for distance now. Seeing a good
quick cast of 20-45 feet would be interesting.

If you ever get a chance, go see Mark Sedotti cast
He has a cast that he calls the "sayonara sling" where he casts his 12"-18" mop head sized flies a country mile.
Really something to see.

We must be the luckiest rednecks in the country here near Charlotte. We've had Sedotti, Kreh, Clouser, Humphries, Rajeff a few times, Gawesworth, Mac Brown, Borger and other supurb casters and instructors at either the fly show we had until this year or at conclaves and fly shops.
I liked Rajeff's relaxed method of teaching.
The single-handed spey demonstration of Simon Gawesworth when he takes off his shoes and socks, rolls up his pant legs and wades the casting lane tossing sweet little rolls left and right.
I especially like to see Joe Hiumphreys patented 80' roll cast. Done on his knee with a dinky rod throwing a loop no larger than 3' high.
Dang... now you got me hankering to go out and dirty up some Expert Distance!

We must be the luckiest rednecks in the country here near Charlotte. We've had Sedotti, Kreh, Clouser, Humphries, Rajeff a few times, Gawesworth, Mac Brown, Borger and other supurb casters and instructors at either the fly show we had until this year or at conclaves and fly shops.
I liked Rajeff's relaxed method of teaching.
The single-handed spey demonstration of Simon Gawesworth when he takes off his shoes and socks, rolls up his pant legs and wades the casting lane tossing sweet little rolls left and right.
I especially like to see Joe Hiumphreys patented 80' roll cast. Done on his knee with a dinky rod throwing a loop no larger than 3' high.
Dang... now you got me hankering to go out and dirty up some Expert Distance!

Jack,

Someone posted back about a year ago that they'd seen you drop a fly into a coffee cup at 40' and then crank off a 100' cast - so you must be doing something right!

Another thought. Someone asked me a couple of months ago why I even cared about being able to cast long; when all of the fish that I'd ever want to catch were right there within 40' of my feet.

Without replying from a sight fishing or wind perspective, I simply said: "because it can be done - and I want to be able to do it......easily".

Frankly, I think that the "feel" of a fish getting ready to take your fly at 100' is probably pretty limited. But, if I can get a taker that is nice enough to hook itself at that distance, then it's going to be a real thrill just bringing that fish to net.

Pocono, A good friend asked why cast long, he said he catches all of his fish within 30'. I said, "Imagine if you could cast 40" and got kicked in the shin for it!
Being able to cast long means the technique is down for tight loops and high line speed. These things come in very handy when the wind picks up or you need to tuck a loop into a tight spot.
Casting is a very intregal part of fly fishing so IMO, there ain't no downside to casting well that I can think of.

There are a lot of people that cast short distances - and they catch a lot of fish. So, there's at least something to be said for the close-in game.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I sometimes separate my casting; in my mind, from my fishing. If I can drop a fly into a tight spot; under a big branch overhang; around the back side of a rock; just tucked up under a crease on a far bank - then I feel great - fish or no fish.

I think that there are alot of aspects of fly fishing the bring big-time gratification to the fisherman (or fisherwoman). For me, it's not just hooking and landing the fish, it's what you did (or had to do correctly) to get the take in the first place.

And for me, casting long and well, just makes me smile! Ever had that silent "YES!" moment?

Oh yes! I consciously go for targets even when blind casting along weed lines or debris in the ocean, and play with loop size and fly splat all the time, even when night fishing. Makes it more fun if nothing else! In fact, I can't imagine anyone not doing that.